Watchcase, in particular for a waterproof and subaqueous watch

ABSTRACT

Watchcase comprising an enclosure for containing the dial and working mechanism of the watch, an upper transparent seal element and a lower seal element, characterised in that at least one of the seal elements is slidingly coupled to the enclosure and is clamped in position by two side elements which enable suitable gaskets to be interposed and clamped tightly so ensuring an exceptional seal against water and at the same time easy disassembly and reassembly of the seal element.

United States Patent [191 Bussi WATCHCASE, IN PARTICULAR FOR A WATERPROOF AND SUBAQUEOUS WATCH [75] Inventor: Ennio Bussi, Roma, Italy [73] Assignees I Fernando Fontana & C. S.a.s.,

rssi oi iz fiefifiiaqssltlt ly r [22] Filed: Sept. 11, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 287,649 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 7 "$5.311! I; [52] U.S. Cl 58/90 R [51] Int. Cl. G04b 37/08 [58] Field of Search 58/88 R, 90 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,344,422 3/1944 Sickinger 58/90 R 2,989,838 6/1961 Guggi et al 58/90 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 210,111

6/1940 Switzerland 58/90 R [111 3,777,473 [451 Dec. 11, 1973 750,786 6/1956 Great Britain 58/90 R Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr. Attorney-I-Iane et al.

[57] ABSTRACT Watchcase comprising an enclosure for containing the dial and working mechanism of the watch, an upper transparent seal element and a lower seal element, characterised in that atleast one of the seal elements is slidingly coupled to the enclosure and is clamped in position by two side elements which enable suitable gaskets to be interposed and clamped tightly so ensuring an exceptional seal against water and at the same time easy disassembly and reassembly of the seal element.

2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENTEU DEC! 1 3. 777. 473

sum 1 or 5 mg 00 E 7 WATCHCASE, IN PARTICULAR FOR A WATERPROOF AND SUBAQUEOUS WATCH The present invention relates to a watchcase, in particular for a waterproof and subaqueous watch.

Watchcases are provided with an upper seal element of glass or other transparent material, which is normally fixed to the rest of the case by snap action. In the case of waterproof watchcases, this connection must be made particularly tight so as to ensure the required hermetic seal between the glass and corresponding seat of the case. This necessity creates considerable application problems for the glass which are in practice unresolved where square, rectangular or otherwise faceted glass is used. In this case at least two opposite sides of the glass must usually be cut in such a manner that their distance is less than that between the corresponding sides of the seat of the case, with the consequent impossibility of ensuring the required hermetic seal. Analogous problems, even if of less difficult solution, are encountered in the application of the base or lower seal element, unless this is formed in a single piece with the rest of the case, as sometimes happens.

The object of the present invention is to provide a watchcase, in particular for a waterproof watch, in which the problem of application of the glass and/or base is resolved simply, but at the same time in such a manner as to ensure, if required, the perfect hermetic seal necessary for watches of the waterproof type.

According to the invention this object is attained by a watchcase comprising an enclosure for containing the dial and working mechanism of the watch, an upper seal element of transparent material and a lower seal element, in which at least one of said seal elements is coupled to the enclosure by sliding and is maintained in position by a pair of side pieces, of which at least one is removable.

It is evident that the type of coupling provided by the invention between the enclosure and seal elements is as simple and at the same time as rational and functional as can be imagined. It allows any type and shape of glass and/or base to be assembled and disassembled very easily and rapidly, enabling complete tightness to be obtained by simply interposing suitable seal gaskets.

Naturally, within the confines of the main characteristic mentioned above, the case according to the invention may assume numerous embodiments all of which fall within the scope of the inventive idea. For example the case may have only the upper seal element coupled by sliding and the lower element formed in one piece with the enclosure or fixed by snap action or screws, or may have only the lower seal element coupled by sliding and the upper seal element fixed by snap action or in some other traditional manner, or again may have both seal elements coupled by sliding. The seal element or elements coupled by sliding may in their turn be of any shape (square, rectangular, circular, octagonal, triangular etc.), it being sufficient that they are simply provided with parallel or V guides capable of coupling with complementary guides formed in the containing enclosure for the dial and working mechanism, so as to enable relative sliding between the seal element and the enclosure. The gaskets and seats provided for them, where they are required in order to make the case waterproof, may also be of any type and shape, naturally providing that they are able to provide the required hermetic seal between the enclosure and seal element.

The side pieces may also be of any type and shape, and moreover one or both may be applied in a removable manner, for example by snap action, by screwing or fixed by means of screws. Finally the internal and external configuration of the enclosure, the shape and type of dial and the structure of the working mechanism may evidently be without limit.

Some of the very numerous embodiments of the case according to the invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a plan view from above of a first embodiment of the case according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view from above showing the case of FIG. 1 with the side pieces removed from the rest of the case;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line Ill-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line IVIV of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view analogous to that of FIG. 4 but referring to a second embodiment of the case according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is an analogous sectional view of a third embodiment of the case according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is an analogous sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the case according to the invention;

FIG. 8 isan analogous sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the case according to the invention; and

FIG. 9 is an analogous sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the case according to the invention.

The watchcase shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises essentially an enclosure 1 for containing the dial 2 and the movement of the watch (for insertion into the compartment 3), an upper seal or cover element 4 of glass or other transparent material and a lower seal or cover element 5. The upper seal element 4 is retained on the enclosure 1 by sliding it into parallel guides 6, and likewise the lower seal element 5 is retained on said enclosure 1 by sliding it into parallel guides 7.

The seal elements are locked by means-of two side pieces or locking member 8 fixable to the enclosure 1 by screws 9. Two longitudinal gaskets 10 inserted in suitable seats formed in the guides 6, two longitudinal gaskets 11 inserted in suitable seats formed in the guides 7 and two transverse flat gaskets 12 inserted in suitable seats formed in the side pieces 8 provide the required hermetic seal for the case complete with all its elements to be formed.

The case shown in FIG. 5 is fundamentally analogous to that of FIGS. 1 to 4, with the exception of the seal element or base 5, which in this case is formed in one piece with the enclosure 1.

The case shown in FIG. 6 is analogous to that of FIG. 5, with the exception of the base 5 which in this case is screwed into the enclosure 1. Y

The cases shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 differ from that of FIG. 6 only in the different form of the guides 6 (and hence of the side edges of the glass 4) and the different disposition of the gaskets 10.

The case shown in FIG. 9 is fundamentally analogous to that of FIGS. 1 to 4, with the exception of the different general shape of the enclosure 1 and glass 4 and the formation of the dial 2 in one piece with the enclosure 1. It should be noted that in this case, if the enclosure 1 were made of a cylindrical instead of semi-cylindrical form, then the side pieces 8 could be fixed by simple screwing instead of the more common methods of snap action or by screws as for the case shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

What I claim is:

l. A watchcase comprising:

serted in the groove of each of said locking members for sealing the same to the enclosure and to the respective cover member.

2. The watchcase according to claim 1 wherein said an enclosure of Substantially rectangular Peripheral 5 enclosure includes on the inside of two opposite side outline, said enclosure having at one of its ends guide grooves at the inside of two opposite side walls;

an upper transparent cover member and a lower cover member for covering the enclosure at its ends, one of said cover members being slidably fitted into said guide grooves, the other cover member being attached to the enclosure at the other end thereof;

a pair of locking members releasably secured to said opposite side walls of the enclosure juxtaposed to the respective edges of the cover member slid into said guide grooves, thereby locking the respective cover member in its position in the grooves, each of said locking members having a lengthwise groove in its side facing the respective edge of the cover member, and an elongate sealing gasket inwalls lengthwise grooves at the end of the enclosure opposite to the one mounting the locking members, each of said lengthwise grooves being continued at its base by a lateral groove extension, and wherein said other cover member has along two opposite side edges a laterally protruding flange of a width shorter than the length of said groove extension, the cross sectional outline of said grooves in the enclosure walls and of said side edges of the other cover member being complementary, said other cover member being fitted into said grooves at the opposite end of the side walls of the enclosure, and an elongate sealing gasket fitted between the outer end of each of said flanges and the base of the groove extensions in the enclosure walls thereby sealing said other cover member to the enclosure walls. 

1. A watchcase comprising: an enclosure of substantially rectangular peripheral outline, said eNclosure having at one of its ends guide grooves at the inside of two opposite side walls; an upper transparent cover member and a lower cover member for covering the enclosure at its ends, one of said cover members being slidably fitted into said guide grooves, the other cover member being attached to the enclosure at the other end thereof; a pair of locking members releasably secured to said opposite side walls of the enclosure juxtaposed to the respective edges of the cover member slid into said guide grooves, thereby locking the respective cover member in its position in the grooves, each of said locking members having a lengthwise groove in its side facing the respective edge of the cover member, and an elongate sealing gasket inserted in the groove of each of said locking members for sealing the same to the enclosure and to the respective cover member.
 2. The watchcase according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure includes on the inside of two opposite side walls lengthwise grooves at the end of the enclosure opposite to the one mounting the locking members, each of said lengthwise grooves being continued at its base by a lateral groove extension, and wherein said other cover member has along two opposite side edges a laterally protruding flange of a width shorter than the length of said groove extension, the cross sectional outline of said grooves in the enclosure walls and of said side edges of the other cover member being complementary, said other cover member being fitted into said grooves at the opposite end of the side walls of the enclosure, and an elongate sealing gasket fitted between the outer end of each of said flanges and the base of the groove extensions in the enclosure walls thereby sealing said other cover member to the enclosure walls. 